Automatic fish-hooking device



Sept. 25, 1951 J. GuNsER AUTOMATIC FISH HOOKING DEVICE Filed June 13,1949 illvllllll www@ I ...l Illu!! IIillllIl INVENToR.

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John Gunsr v quantities.

Patented Sept. 25, 1951 r 2,568,999 AUTOMATIC FISH-HOOKNG DEVICE JohnGunser, Chicago, Ill.

Application June 13, 1949, Serial'No. 98,700

My invention relates to automatic fish hooking devices.

A prime object of my invention is to provide an automatic sh hookingdevice to be attached between the iish line and leader line and havingspring and trigger means for automatically and forcefully retracting theleader line when thefish takes the bait, thus setting the fish hook`firmly in the shs mouth and hooking the iish.

A further important object of my invention is to provide an automatic shhooking device having adjustable tension means for varying the triggersetting of my device, permitting adjustments requiring a lighter orheavier pull, depending on the size of the iish to be caught.

A Suu further object of my invention is to provide an automatic shhooking device, the trigger setting means of which is simpleA inconstruction and easily and quickly set to operating position.

A further object of my invention is to provide an automatic fish hookingdevice of sturdy design which may be economically manufactured. in

Other objects and advantages embraced in my 4 Claims. (Cl. I3-15)invention will be disclosed in the-following de` vscription and theaccompanyingillustrations,

wherein like parts are designated by like numerals andin which: 1

Fig. 1 is a side view of my invention.

Fig. 2 isr an enlarged longitudinal cross-sectioned View of my inventiontaken substantially on line 2 2 on Fig. l, and showingthe triggerassembly in retracted position.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged side view of myinvention with parts broken andcutaway toxshow the-trigv ger assembly in a forward locked' or setposition.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged longitudinally cross-sectioned view of a portionof my invention -taken substantially on line 4 4` on Fig. 2, and showingdetails of the trigger assembly and its connection to the tensionspring.

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view of my invention taken substantially online 5--5 on Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a partial cross-sectional view of my invention takensubstantially online `I-I `on Fig. 3.

Fig. 7 is a longitudinal cross-sectional vieW of a portion of myinvention, showing the trigger locking mechanism in the actof beingtripped.

Fig. 8 is a view of my automatic fish hooking device shown in one of itsuses'in a body of Water in connection withk a iish line, leader and ash. Referring to the illustrations, my invention is v v vthe end ofhollow plug 30 which, in association generally designated .9,and-consistsof atubular-ts body element I0, which may preferably be ofbrass or other non-corroding metal. A trigger assembly Il and tensionspring |2 are mounted within the tube interior 35. A line attaching plugI4 is iixed 4within one end of tubular body element I0 and held securelyin place by a lockinggroove I 5 formed therein. An eye I6 provides meansfor attaching the fish line Il'. Threaded extensions I8y and I9 areformed one on the end of line attaching plug I4, the other on the end ofcylindrical trigger housing .20, for securing the ends of tension springI2 within tube interior 35. One end of a trigger pin 2| is slidablymounted within Ycylindrical trigger housing 2D, held in place by 5 pinhead 22 and hollow trigger stop 23, the shoulder 49 of which permits alimited action to trigger pin 2| within the said cylindrical triggerhousing 2U.

A shoulder 24. on the endkof hollow trigger stop 23 defines a reducedbutton engaging surface 25. A blind bore 21 in the free end of triggerpin` 2| serves to securethe end of a flexible wire 28, the

Aother end ofv which extends through and projects from the end oftubularbody element IU, said flexible wire having a looped portion 29 formedthereonvfor attaching the leader 44. A hollow plug 305 having a reducedportion 3| is secured Within theother end of tubular body element |0 'bylocking groove 32 in its reduced portion 3| and has a central opening 34which communicates with tube interior 35. The inner end of plug30servesas a stop 36- for trigger assembly A Wire ring stop 33 issecurely attached over with annular ange 4I Within locking cap means I3,serves Ato keep the said locking cap I3 1 inplace over the end oftubular body element I0,

allowing-it a limited sliding motion.

A trigger stop plug 42 having a central opening 43 is securely mountedWithin the end of locking cap means I3.

Resilient trigger engaging mounts 31 are attached onevonv either side oftubular body element Ill, near the locking cap end thereof and held inplace by a male. threaded bushing 38 mounted von tubular body elementI0. Trigger engaging nubs 39 are oppositely mounted onresilient triggerengaging mounts 37 inalignment withnub clearance holes 48 in tubularbody element I0. vA tension adjusting nut 40 is mounted upon malethreaded bushing 38 and serves asa tension adjuster` for resilienttrigger engaging mountsz3'l., The-saidnut 40 fits loosely onbushing38,tri-permitav locking. action when it engages ,resilier-@tienerengaging munis .3l-g Bray-advancing nut 40 as shown in phantom lines onFig. 2, the trigger mounts 31 are compressed slightly, providing atrigger setting means requiring a heavier tug at the lead line 44. Byretracting nut 40 as shown in solid line position, resilient triggermounts 31 will provide a ner trigger setting, more easily tripped, whichmay be desirable in iishing for small fish.

A shoulder collar 26 is welded upon trigger pin 2|, midway betweenshoulder 24 and line attaching end at the blind bore 21. The saidshoulder collar 2B, together with engaging nubs 39, trigger stop plug42, hollow plug 30 and shoulder 24 would preferably be formed ofhardened steel to prevent wear thereon and to maintain a ne adjustmentto the trigger mechanism.

Figures l and 2 show my automatic Iish hooking device with the triggerassembly in retracted and unlocked position. To use my automatic shhooking device, the tubular body element I is held in one hand, theflexible Wire extension 28 or the loop portion 2S thereof, is graspedand pulled outward as far as it will extend, bringing trigger assembly II to the locking position within tubular body element I0 as shown inFig. 3, with reduced button engaging surface 25 in alignment withengaging nubs 39. The thumb and finger 50 press resilient trigger mounts31 inwardly and locking cap means I3 is pushed into locking position asshown by phantom and solid lines in Fig. 3, with the open end thereofengaging the free ends of the now compressed resilient trigger mounts31. In this position the shoulder collar 26 will be touching triggerstop plug 42. The trigger pin 2| is positioned with its head 22 towardthe closed end of cylindrical trigger housing 20 as shown in Figs. 3 and4.

My automatic fish hooking device may be used in several Ways. It may beattached between ilshing line l1 and leader 44 and held with the fishhooking device above the surface of the water, or it may be held or usedwith the said iish hooking device beneath the surface 46 of the water asshown in Fig. 8, wherein a fish, drawn in phantom lines, is shown in theact of taking the baited hook 45. As the fish takes the baited hook 45the slight resulting pull upon leader 44 pulls trigger 2|, together withlocking cap I3, outwardly, tripping the trigger mechanism and allowingtension spring I2 to forcefully retract the trigger pin 2I and lead 44,a suftcient distance to rmly imbed hook 45 within the mouth of the fish,as shown by solid and phantom lines in Fig. 8. Fig 7 illustrates theaction of shoulder collar 26 against trigger stop plug 42 in the act oftripping the trigger mechanism.

Vent openings 41 are provided in tubular body element I0 and locking capmeans I3 to allow the flow of water through the interior 35 and preventa slowing of the retracting action of the trigger mechanism whentripped, and also to serve as lubricating holes.

My automatic fis-h hooking device is adaptable for use in still fishingand may be used with or without iloat and weight. My device does notrequire constant attention to his pole by the fisherman.

A further advantage residing in my automatic fish hooking device is itssmall size, about the size of a lead pencil, and its adaptability to anyfishline or iishing equipment.

Although I have herein described rather succinctly the nature and use ofmy invention so that persons skilled in the art will have no diiilcultyapprising themselves of the teachings there- -4 l of and, inasmuch asthe disclosure is susceptible of various alterations, modifications, andimprovements, I hereby reserve the right to all modiflcations,alterations, and improvements falling within the scope and spirit of myinvention, as well as any modifications that are embraced suggestivelyin the accompanying drawings, and any that may come within the purviewof the foregoing description; my invention to be limited only by theappended claims.

Having thus disclosed and revealed my invention, what I claim as new anddesire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. Automatic iish-hooking means comprising, tubular body means, lineattaching plug means secured to one end of the said tubular body means,trigger including a trigger pin assembly means mounted slidably withinthe confines of the said tubular body means, spring meansinterconnecting the said trigger assembly means to the said lineattaching means, resilient trigger engaging mounts securedintermediately the ends of the said'tubular body means adapted toreleasably engage the said trigger assembly means, locking cap meansslidably secured to one end of the said tubular body means and adaptedto releasably engage the said resilient trigger engaging mounts,flexible wire means connected to the said trigger pin of the assemblymeans, and shoulder collar means secured to the said trigger pin fortripping the said locking cap means.

2. Automatlc fish-hooking means comprising, tubular body means, lineattaching plug means secured to one end of the said tubular body means.trigger including a trigger pin assembly means mounted slidably withinthe confines of the said tubular body means, spring meansinterconnecting the said trigger assembly means to the said lineattaching means, resilient trigger engaging mounts securedintermediately the ends of the said tubular body means adapted toreleasably engage the said trigger assembly means, locking cap meansslidably secured to one end of the said tubular body means and adaptedto releasably engage the said resilient trigger engaging mounts,

-iiange means interiorly of the said locking cap means, stop means onthe end of the said tubular body means to limit the relative movement ofthe said locking cap means, flexible Wire means connected to the triggerpin of the said trigger assembly means, and shoulder collar meanssecured to thesaid trigger pin for tripping the said locking cap means.

3. Automatic fish-hooking means comprising, tubular'body means, lineattaching plug means secured to one end of the said tubular body means,trigger including a trigger pin assembly means mounted slidably withinthe confines of the said tubular body means, spring meansinterconnecting the said trigger assembly means to the said -lineattaching means, resilient trigger engaging mounts securedintermediately the ends of the said tubular body means adapted toreleasably engage the said trigger assembly means, locking cap meansslidably secured to one end of the said tubular body means and adaptedto releasably engage the said resilient trigger engaging mounts. tensionadjusting nut means threadably secured to the said tubular body means ata point adjacent the point of anchorage of the said resilient triggerengaging mounts to afford variable adjustment to the release thereof,iiexible wire means connected to the trigger pin of the said triggerassembly means, and shoulder collar means securedto the said trigger pinfor trippingthe said 4. Automatic sh-hooking means comprising, tubularbody means, line attaching plug means secured to one end of the saidtubular body means, trigger including a trigger pin assembly meansmounted slidably within the connes of the said tubular body means,spring means interconnecting the said trigger assembly means to the saidline attaching means, resilient trigger engaging mounts securedintermediately the ends of the said tubular body means adapted toreleasably engage the said trigger assembly means, locking cap meanssldably secured to one end of the said tubular body means and adapted toreleasably engage the said resilient trigger engaging mounts, ange meansinteriorly of the said locking cap means, stop means on the end of thesaid tubular body means to limit the relative movement of the saidlocking cap means, tension adjusting nut means threadably secured to thesaid tubular body means at a point adjacent the zo 6 point of anchorageof the said resilient trigger engaging mounts to aiord variableadjustment to the release thereof. exible wire means connected to thetrigger pin of the said trigger assembly means, and shoulder collarmeans secured to the said trigger pin for tripping the said locking capmeans.

JOHN GUNSER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,147,917 Noren Feb. 21 1939FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 710,595 France June 9, 1931

